By Barbara Nwaiwu
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has presented Nigeria’s Blue Economy Agenda at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, as part of efforts to position the country as a major maritime hub in Africa.
Oyetola participated in a high level panel discussion on the blue economy at the summit, which had as its theme, “Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth.”
This was disclosed in a statement issued in Lagos on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the Minister on media, Bolaji Akinola.
According to the statement, the minister spoke on the topic, “Blue Economy: Maritime Sovereignty and Sustainable Valorisation,” where he highlighted reforms introduced by the Federal Government to unlock the potential of Nigeria’s marine and blue economy sector.
Akinola quoted Oyetola as saying that the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in August 2023 formed part of deliberate measures by the government to drive sustainable growth within the maritime industry.
“Since its establishment, the ministry has recorded notable milestones, including the development of Nigeria’s first National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy, designed to provide a strategic framework for sustainable sectoral growth,” he said.
Oyetola further stated that, “the agencies under the ministry have also achieved record revenue performance, generating N1.83 trillion in the 2025 fiscal year.”
The minister also disclosed that the Federal Government had approved a comprehensive port modernisation and upgrade programme aimed at attracting larger vessels and creating more employment opportunities within the maritime sector.
According to him, the ongoing reforms would strengthen Nigeria’s position as the leading maritime hub in West and Central Africa.
Oyetola noted that the summit brought together African leaders, policymakers, investors and development partners to discuss innovation, economic growth and strategic partnerships across the continent.
He added that the panel session featured the French Minister of the Sea and Fisheries, Catherine Chabaud, alongside other maritime stakeholders from across Africa.
The minister further stated that the summit was co-hosted by Kenya’s President, William Ruto, and France’s President, Emmanuel Macron, with Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, also attending the event alongside other African leaders.
According to Oyetola, the gathering marked a significant phase in Africa-France diplomatic and economic relations.
He noted that the summit was particularly historic because it was the first Africa-France summit to be hosted in an English-speaking, non-Francophone African country.